Category: InDepth

Platinum is a chemical element and member of the platinum group of elements. Most metals in the platinum group are prized for resilience to corrosion and relative imperviousness to high temperatures. In fact, platinum is regarded as a noble metal due to its resistance to oxidation and corrosion.

Noble Metals and Base Metals
Palladium, platinum and gold are all noble metals and generally resistant to aging. Base metals like zinc and iron, on the contrary, do not age very well. Nobel metals are popular for other reasons, however. Platinum has numerous industrial applications and aesthetic uses. For example, platinum is used predominately in the catalytic convertors of automobiles, yet platinum is making inroads into jewelry stores, the dentist’s office, thermometers and even the hands of collectors.

Platinum as Precious Metal
A precious metal is a metallic element of high economic worth. Precious metals, such as platinum, are often ductile and contain a rich lustre. In the past, precious metals took the place of fiat paper in large economies. Today, however, precious metals like gold, silver and platinum are viewed as investments and hedges against unstable local currencies. Platinum is actually the most widely transacted precious metal in the world. In other words, investors have determined that platinum is a worthwhile store of value and investment opportunity.Continue reading →

How Platinum Can Diversify an Economic Portfolio and Hedge Against Inflation

For the past half-decade, most people have built a word association between “investing” and “pain.” The U.S. stock market has been northing short of unstable, employment levels have only slightly improved, and the housing market continues to be a source of major uncertainty and financial pain among those who decided to invest their money in property rather than in things like precious metals or rare coins. It is worth noting, though, that those who did choose to make investments in precious metals are among the most satisfied investors in today’s climate.

The reason for that satisfaction is simple: While the broader stock market has suffered from downturn after downturn, the market for precious metals has been soaring to new heights and setting entirely new records. Gold, in particular, has been a darling of the market for the past decade or so. It has been joined in recent years by the likes of platinum, palladium, and especially silver, making precious metals an even better investment strategy.

Before pursuing precious metals as a new option in a portfolio, though, consumers should understand that the market does fluctuate and that certain conditions at the Federal Reserve might impact the overall performance of gold, silver, platinum, and other precious metals. By understanding the future outlook of this investment, as well as the factors that determine its worth, a more sound strategy can be pursued at the very beginning. Continue reading →

With many economic experts declaring that the new normal for the securities marketplace will actually be volatility, many investors are looking for new ways to save for retirement and build nest eggs for college funds, housing upgrades and well deserved vacations. The precious metals market has historically held up in the midst of volatility; hence, many investors are finding their way to it. Gold, silver and platinum are leading the charge with less well known but just as valuable metals like palladium also providing a great deal of leverage for investors.

If you are ready to diversify into precious metals, there are some strategies that you should consider in order to maximize your ability to capitalize on the opportunity. Below are some of the things that you must know before you begin investing in the precious metals market.

The economic climate currently being experienced by the citizens of the world is one of extreme volatility. There is, it would seem, a new story daily of government collapse in one country, hyperinflation in another, and of course, always and everywhere there are wars and the rumor of wars. This high-tension atmosphere only serves to put the minds of those involved in investment and other forms of economics in a state of near-constant unease. Fear is not conducive to a steady rise in economic prosperity. Even so, with all the uncertainty in today’s world, some things remain a source of constancy, rare coins investment among them.

Like other forms of tangible asset investment, the securing of wealth by means of rare coins is popular because the investor, public or private, can put their hands upon the literal bulwark of their otherwise very liquid assets. Paper money and electronic funds transfers have their place, but now, as in days of old, there seems to be something special about the clink… clink… clink… of hard currency. In addition to the pluses attached to and shared with other investment avenues of this type, such as land, rare coins investment carries with it a high degree of asset portability. The market is narrower, but the demand found within its confines can be very high. Rare coins investment is a very special field. Read on to learn how you can navigate it safely, and come out on the other side with stability, peace of mind, and profit as the result. Continue reading →